The Shop: Bookoff
Midtown, Manhattan: 49 W 45th Street
Bookoff has long been the secret hideout of NYC nerds. This massive store just north of Bryant Park has some of the best deals on books in Manhattan, especially for graphic novels and manga. The top floor sports used books galore with varying degrees of pre-love. The ground floor is home to all kinds of used goods sure to make nerd hearts flutter: videogames and consoles from a smattering of eras, electronics and music equipment, and a whole bunch of toys from every intellectual property under the sun. When I go to Bookoff, I typically skip both of these sections and head straight to the basement den of extremely discounted manga, light novels, and western comics! A word of warning: as a used shop, you are unlikely to find volume one of anything— but if you want to find a deal on later volumes of a series you’re already invested in, you’re in the right spot.
Bookoff creates an interesting contrast with its nearby neighbor Kinokuniya! Both are Japanese-centric, large, and Bryant park adjacent. Kinokuniya is touristy while Bookoff is intimate and insidery. Kinokuniya is pristine and plastic wrapped, while Bookoff is cluttered and creased cornery. Kinokuniya is overpriced, while Bookoff is discounted as hell. Which vibe you choose is up to you! The important thing is both of these spots make Midtown Manhattan way less boring and I’ve got a whole lot of love for both of them.
What I got:
Nausicaä Of the Valley of the Wind Vol 1
Like many white dudes who went to liberal arts college, I adore the fantastic, wistful worlds of Hayao Miyazaki and have seen all of his movies. Having never read his manga, I’m excited to dive into the series that inspired the film that formed Studio Ghibli!